Year-end lists are here! We’re lucky to have a bunch of people working here with broad tastes and deep knowledge. I hope you enjoy their takes on this year’s releases as much as I do (Dave). The lists will be broken into multiple posts, starting here with Part 1: Bee's 2022 year-end lists.
Bee spends more time in the shop than any of us, working both at the record shop but also managing the coffee shop from our friends and roommates Major Treat. When not in the shop you might catch them on tour with Bib or playing in one of Toronto’s best new hardcore bands, Influx. Here’s what Bee had to say about 2022:
TOP TENS
In no particular order…
DEMOS
KILLING PACE - Self Titled (Pressing On/Raven Records)
BLAZING TOMB - Self Titled (Raven Records)
BLACK DOG - Demo II (Roachleg Records)
PUFFER - Live and Die in the City (Roachleg Records)
NOSFERATU - Society’s Bastard (Unlawful Assembly/Roachleg Records/Sound Grotesca/P.M.T.)
INVERTEBRATES - Demo
RODODENDRONS - Stop the World (Unlawful Assembly/Roachleg Records)
HYSTERIC POLEMIX - Songs for the Solstice (Roachleg Records)
DEMORALIZED - Demo (Dynastic Yellow Star)
FERTILIZER - Demo
Starting with a demo that I actually released, not just because I want to sell the rest of the copies I have but because I love it; after playing with KILLING PACE on tour I hit them up and asked if they had recordings or any plan to release anything because they were so good–death metal influences and hardcore. Also from Richmond are BLAZING TOMB who released a perfect death metal demo. BLACK DOG from Halifax are one of my new favourite bands. The first demo is great too and deserves a mention as well, just a little more blown out–d-beat from some of Nova Scotia’s finest. PUFFER from Montreal (also on Roachleg) are catchy & probably even better live than recorded if you get a chance to see them. NOSFERATU - Society’s Bastard is a perfect hardcore recording, it’s everything you’d expect from them, and I know a lot of love went into this release. INVERTEBRATES, both the demo and the Summer Promo tape are ripping hardcore demos, and they were one of my favourite bands that I saw in the last year. RODODENDRONS - Stop the World (from the same minds that bring you MOCK EXECUTION) are refreshingly catchy punk with keyboards. HYSTERIC POLEMIX, fronted by Nadine Rosario of LA MISMA, are anarcho punk; musically catchy, lyrically thoughtful, and visually stunning. DEMORALIZED are powerviolence/grindcore from some of South Florida’s finest contemporary hardcore musicians. Lastly are one of my favourite bands in Toronto right now, FERTILIZER which is hardcore punk by black metal lovers–noisy and mesmerizing.
7”S
ABUSO DE PODER - Vago Muerto (Roachleg Records)
YAMBAG - Strength in Nightmares (11PM Records)
MUTATED VOID - Slash the Altar (Sewercide Records)
HATRED SURGE - Leftoverdose (Rescued from Life Records)
BRAIN TOURNIQUET - Brain Tourniquet II (Irong Lung Records)
POISON RUÏN - Not Today, Not Tomorrow. Parade of Phantoms/Edifice (Roachleg Records)
LIVING WORLD - World (Iron Lung Records)
RAW BREED/VIDEO PRICK - Split (Convulse Records)
SPECIAL BRANCH - Lethal Force (Roachleg Records)
WARTHOG - Self Titled (Toxic State Records)
ABUSO DE PODER, from California have simple riffs and low & gruff vocals, timeless sounding punk. Ohio’s YAMBAG are one of the fastest bands going right now. Richard’s vocals are biting and fit perfectly with the urgency of the music, the song “Lowlife” makes me want to put my head through a wall. Halifax’s MUTATED VOID are blown-out, abrasive blackened hardcore. Originally recorded during the Human Overdose sessions, intended for a split that never happened, included as a bonus with the KVRX lp, but released as a stand-alone with a HERESY-tribute sleeve is HATRED SURGE - Leftoverdose. BRAIN TOURNIQUET II is a perfect powerviolence record. POISON RUÏN are exciting, death rock, post punk & anarcho punk along with NWOBHM. Pittsburgh’s LIVING WORLD are ripping hardcore punctuated with heavy-hitting mid-tempo wall-to-wall breakdowns, also amazing live. Admittedly came to the RAW BREED/VIDEO PRICK split a bit late; RAW BREED is heavy and mosh-y, and the VIDEO PRICK side is unhinged. I’ve been rocking SPECIAL BRANCH - Lethal Force since I got the cassette from Human Dizcharge, it’s a perfect hardcore demo so I’m glad it’s getting a vinyl release. Lastly is the latest offering from WARTHOG, very much them, with beautifully printed art from Alex Heir.
12”S
MUTATED VOID - Roses Forever (Iron Lung Records)
THE FLEX - Chewing Gum for the Ears (Static Stock Records)
GAUZE - 言いたかねえけど目糞鼻糞 (XXX Records)
MOCK EXECUTION - Killed by Mock Execution (La Vida Es Un Mus)
RASHŌMON - Nin-Gen (Iron Lung Records)
IRREAL - Era Electrónica (La Vida Es Un Mus)
IGNORANTES - Parece Que Tuvimos Demasiados Hijitos (F.O.A.D. Records, Mierdas Production)
DECOMP - Condemned to Earth (Black Water)
HELLSHOCK - Self Titled (Black Water)
CONJUNTO PRIMITIVO - Morir y Renacer (Chicago Research)
Knew I had to put MUTATED VOID in my Top 10 12”s as well, ugly music in the best way by beautiful people. THE FLEX - Chewing Gum for the Ears got heavy play from me, one of the most satisfying hardcore records of the year. Blessed by a GAUZE record before the band ended, they don’t have a bad record. MOCK EXECUTION are raw punk from Chicago and one of the best going right now, with stunning art from Mony Núñez. I’ve heard them say they’re more of a ‘live band,’ but the record rocks as does their live set. Finally, the new RASHŌMON record! Raging hardcore songs with amazing musicianship, worth waiting for. IRREAL is hypnotic and angry hardcore punk from Barcelona, LVEM named some Age of Quarrel era CRO-MAGS influence which I think is brilliant woven into an intensely punk sounding record. Speaking of intensely punk sounding, are Chile’s IGNORANTES with this noisy, snotty tupa tupa. Two Black Water releases have gotten heavy rotation from me; DECOMP and HELLSHOCK. You can pick up all the influences you’d want from a crust record with DECOMP, with plenty of breakdowns and leads to keep it interesting. HELLSHOCK doesn’t disappoint, heavy-hitting gold star crust. Finally, CONJUNTO PRIMITIVO’s long-awaited (at least by me) album on Chicago Research blends their wealth of influences (synth pop, reggaeton, industrial, cumbia) seamlessly, the result being hypnotic, sexy, and atmospheric.
HONOURABLE MENTION
PARANOIAC - Morbid Psycho
UNLAWFUL ASSEMBLY Volume II
PAYLOAD/GRAND SCHEME/DESTRUCT shows in Toronto
BIB/ARMOR/TEMPTER tour
SKULL FEST
Don Pyle - Shot in a Mirror book launch
GB Jones show at Cooper Cole/FIFTH COLUMN tribute
BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATERS
NOCTURNAL EMISSIONS DJ NIGHT
WARTHOG Anniversary Show Weekend
…but wait!
In under the wire is THE ANNIHILATED - Submission to Annihilation LP, which is everything you want a hardcore punk record to be. To make any direct comparison would seem cheap; it’s hardcore punk by people who love hardcore punk. The passion is palpable. I’ve read about them using a microphone in a bin outdoors, and saw a photo of the guitar running through a karaoke amplifier. The songs are perfectly written, mixed by the inimitable Jonah Falco. Art by the band’s own & one of my favourite punk artists, Nicky Rat. Listen loud.
